Learning objectives. The course aims at providing historical, linguistic and theoretical tools useful for the knowledge and understanding of cinema at an international level, from its beginnings (end of the 19th century) to the end of the 1990s, and for the reading of the cinematographic work, intended both as an aesthetic-cultural product and as an economic-social product. The general objective is to place the history of cinema within the broader framework of 20th century history, investigating how and to what extent the medium has been permeable to the political, economic, cultural and social changes that have accompanied its development. At the end of the course, students will be able to: - recognise the main forms of expression in the history of cinema by relating them to the historical context of reference; - grasp the evolutions that have affected the cinematographic language; - analyse a film text in depth, taking into account the context of production and that of reception; - develop communication and expository skills in the field of cinema. Contents are particularly functional in the learning area of audiovisual and media storytelling. Preconditions. No prior knowledge is required. Contents. The course is structured on two levels, which complement each other: 1) Definition and analysis of the methodological and theoretical issues of film history and historiography (indicatively 10 hours). 2) Identification and stylistic-formal analysis of the main production trends in the history of cinema through the recognition of significant trends, films and authors (approximately 38 hours). For each era it is proposed to identify: - the relationship with the context (political, economic, social and cultural); - the modes of reception and interpretation of the works (also diachronically); - the repercussions on contemporary reality. Teaching Methods. The course learning objectives will be achieved through: - classic lectures, supported by the viewing and analysis of significant scenes and sequences from representative films; - interdisciplinary seminars in crossover mode (for a maximum of 12 hours) with the participation of other course lecturers, in order to deepen, understand and interpret the topics dealt with through different interpretations; - educational outing aimed at observing forms of storytelling and exploitation of film history. Methods of evaluating learning. The assessment of the contents covered in the course will take place by means of an oral test, aimed at ascertaining the student's knowledge of the contents of the course manual, the analytical ability of the student with reference to the films for which full viewing is envisaged and Di Blasio's in-depth text (Cinema and history: interferences, confluences). The mark for the oral test (marked in thirtieths) will take into account the accuracy and quality of the answers (60%), as well as communication skills and the ability to adequately justify statements, analyses and judgements (40%). The student must have achieved a total mark of 18/30 to pass the learning assessment. Other information. The professor receives students by appointment, to be arranged by writing to m.piredda@uninsubria.it, at the Rossi Pavilion or eventually online.